Injured Westwood ponders ending his season early

(CNN) -- Imminent new world No. 1 Lee Westwood is considering taking the rest of this year off golf in order to solve his recurring calf problem.

Westwood can overtake Tiger Woods if he finishes first or second at the Dunhill Links Championship in Scotland this weekend, but is still hampered by the injury that ruled him out for almost two months before the Ryder Cup.

The 37-year-old is now reconsidering his decision to defend his Portugal Masters title next week, while taking the rest of the year off would mean he does not defend the lucrative Dubai World Championship crown he won in 2009 to finish top of the European Tour.

On Friday, Westwood carded 72 in his second round at St Andrews -- one of three courses used for the $5 million event -- to be tied for 32nd, 10 shots behind leader John Parry.

"It was pretty much the same as yesterday," said Westwood, who will topple Woods by the end of this month whether he plays again or not. "I'm just struggling with it and I'm probably just going to get through this week and make a decision.

"My gut instinct is to get it better. I'm just consciously thinking about it, and the longer the day goes on the worse it gets. It's not great, and shutting down for the rest of the year is an option."

Westwood's lesser-known compatriot Parry upstaged Europe's Ryder Cup heroes on Friday to claim the halfway lead in the Scottish tournament.

The 23-year-old European Tour rookie, who secured his card for next year by winning the Vivendi Cup in France the weekend before the Ryder Cup began, moved four shots clear after firing a sizzling seven-under-par 65 in his second round.

That put the world No. 177 ahead of 513th-ranked Swede Martin Erlandsson, who carded another 68 to be eight-under.

Celtic Manor victors Ross Fisher (68) and Martin Kaymer (69) were another shot back on 137 along with Spain's Alvaro Quiros.

Graeme McDowell, whose win over American Hunter Mahan on Monday regained the Ryder Cup for Europe, was sixth on 138 after a 68.

His teammate Padraig Harrington was in a group of four on 139 after carding the same score, Francesco Molinari was tied for 17th on 141 after a 69, while Ryder Cup vice-captain Darren Clarke bounced back from his opening 76 with a 67.

Captain Colin Montgomerie, making his return to the playing ranks, was tied for 56th after his second 72 while Edoardo Molinari matched that score to be another shot back on 145 along with Rory McIlroy.

McIlroy, who was Parry's teammate in the Walker Cup -- the Ryder Cup's amateur equivalent but for British and Irish players, not Europe wide -- carded a 74.

American veteran John Daly was way back in the professional half of the field, which also includes amateurs.

He is struggling to make the top-60 cut after Saturday's third round following efforts of 75 and 76 -- the latter at St Andrews where he won the British Open in 1995.